What do you do when you turn 50?
If you are Victoria Beckham, you launch a collaboration with Mango
Turning 50 is a big milestone for anyone and I would imagine it’s one of those, when the person looks back on one’s life, reflects and makes plans for the next decade. Victoria Beckham celebrated hers with family and friends, but also by launching a collaboration with Spanish fashion retailer MANGO, diversifying her fashion and beauty branding and seeking to expand customer outreach further - she recently also launched a VB watch with Breitling.
I popped into Mango’s Oxford street store on the day of the launch, noting instantly that no expense has been spared in order to make an impact on both those who knew this collaboration was launching and those who were unaware. Attention to detail pays off, as does visually inspiring store design that looks elegant, yet inviting.
Let me start by saying that this collaboration is quite impressive. What you can’t help but notice, is the attention to the smallest detail. There are store’s windows, all of them displaying pieces from the collection on the mannequins and the space dedicated to the collaboration inside - full collection available on the ground floor and a smaller selection on the floor below. The railings, the carpet, the walls, as well as the branded hangers and designated staff on hand to help you with those particular pieces, all dressed in VB x Mango elegant suits make sure your shopping experience is a little different and elevated when compared to the rest of shopping in-store.
The collection itself is unmistakably Victoria, reflecting both her style aesthetic and her designs for her fashion brand. You do have to be a certain body type to carry some of the clothes with panache - skinny, tall and leggy - most of the trousers will most certainly have to be shortened, as most of women don’t have legs that long, even when wearing high heels. Those trousers might requite virtuous ones, if you have regular trouser length .) Crochet-like white bodysuits look like tiny swimsuits. And slinky evening silk dresses will look good on those mortals who like Victoria have sinewy built. There are leather high heals, as well as flat buckle single-toe sandals - on-trend in black and burgundy.
I would also direct your gaze towards a smalls, satin evening bag and a large sturdy tote with a wide leather strap - practical for both carrying in the hand or placed on a shoulder. There is contrasting jewellery - silver/gold - for your neck, wrist and ears - and the tassel-like metal belt has visual allure & impact as well. While the whole collection has a youthful feel, an elegant cotton blouse & silk ones will have appeal to older customer as well, as will the sharp blazers that have a clever adjusting strap around waistline on the back and a £300 trench that reminded me a little of Sacai deconstructed designs.
While many fashionable collaborations have lower price points, they are also poorly made, meaning materials like polyester are used. Not in this instance - there is cotton, silk & leather, sharp tailoring, contrast stitching and nice touches like pale pink pocket lining on cream trousers. This collaboration without a doubt took time, thought and investment, being in line with Mango style language, while clearly reflecting and distilling Victoria Beckham know-how and adding her distinct style to each piece on display. It also is a reflection of how far VB has come since tentatively stepping into fashion designer shoes and launching her namesake fashion brand.
Most people - be it press or general public - smirked, some probably wishing her to fall flat on her face, so it must feel doubly gratifying to have proven the neighsayers wrong, easing the brand out of the red, adding perfume and beauty line along the way, while raising a family - four kids take a lot of time to nurture and David’s own busy career and couple’s international work travel add complexity to daily family life. So I hope Victoria will be smiling a secret smile looking as the collaboration sales data - while there were no queues, the stream of people coming to look and to purchase remained steady on the day, and later in the week, when I popped round again. Success must feel particularly sweet when you work tirelessly in order to achieve it - and refuse to rest on the laurels of your multiple achievements, setting new targets and goals.